[ad_1]
By: Sulaiman Osho
IN the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Almighty Allah declares in the Holy Qur’an, Al-Israa 17:1: “Glory to (God) Who did take His servant for a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,—in order that We might show him some of Our signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things).”
The true account of the miraculous bodily journey that is devoid from of a dream or story from a trance is given in Sahih Bukhari, in the Book of Salat of the Authentic Hadith, narrated by Abu Dhar. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was transported to the seat of the earlier revelations in Jerusalem, and then taken through the seven heavens, and even to the Sublime Throne, and initiated into the spiritual mysteries of the human soul struggling in space and time.
As narrated by Abbas bin Malik, Malik bin Sasaa said “Allah’s Apostle described to them his Night Journey, saying, ‘While I was lying in Al-Hatim or Al-Hijr, suddenly someone came to me and cut my body open from here to here’. I asked Al-Jarud who was by my side, ‘What does he mean?’ He said, ‘It means from his throat to his pubic area’, or said, ‘From the top of the chest’. The Prophet further said, ‘He then took out my heart. Then a gold tray of Belief was brought to me and my heart was washed and was filled (with Belief) and then returned to its original place. Then a white animal which was smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey was brought to me’. (On this Al-Jarud asked, ‘Was it the Buraq, O Abu Hamza?’ I (i.e. Anas) replied in the affirmative). The Prophet said, ‘The animal’s step (was so wide that it) reached the farthest point within the reach of the animal’s sight. I was carried on it, and Gabriel set out with me till we reached the nearest heaven. When he asked for the gate to be opened, it was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel answered, ‘Gabriel’. It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad’. It was asked, ‘Has Muhammad been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!’ The gate was opened, and when I went over the first heaven, I saw Adam there. Gabriel said (to me). ‘This is your father, Adam; pay him your greetings’. So, I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcome, O pious son and pious Prophet’. Then Gabriel ascended with me till we reached the second heaven. Gabriel asked for the gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel answered, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad’. It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel answered in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!’ The gate was opened. When I went over the second heaven, there I saw Yahya (i.e. John) and ‘Isa (i.e. Jesus) who were cousins of each other. Gabriel said (to me), ‘These are John and Jesus; pay them your greetings’. So I greeted them and both of them returned my greetings to me and said, ‘You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet’. Then Gabriel ascended with me to the third heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel’. It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad’. It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcome, what an excellent visit his is!’ The gate was opened, and when I went over the third heaven there I saw Joseph. Gabriel said (to me), ‘This is Joseph; pay him your greetings’. So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet’. Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fourth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel’. It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcome, what an excellent visit his is!’ The gate was opened, and when I went over the fourth heaven, there I saw Idris. Gabriel said (to me), ‘This is Idris; pay him your greetings.’ So I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said,‘You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Gabriel ascended with me to the fifth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked. ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said He is welcomed, what an excellent visit his is! So when I went over the fifth heaven, there I saw Harun (i.e. Aaron), Gabriel said, (to me). This is Aaron; pay him your greetings.’ I greeted him and he returned the greeting to me and said, ‘You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ Then Gabriel ascended with me to the sixth heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked. ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. It was said, ‘He is welcomed. What an excellent visit his is!’ When I went (over the sixth heaven), there I saw Moses. Gabriel said (to me), ‘This is Moses; pay him your greeting’. So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, ‘You are welcome, O pious brother and pious Prophet.’ When I left him (i.e. Moses) he wept. Someone asked him, ‘What makes you weep?’ Moses said, ‘I weep because after me there has been sent (as Prophet) a young man whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers.’ Then Gabriel ascended with me to the seventh heaven and asked for its gate to be opened. It was asked, ‘Who is it?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Gabriel.’ It was asked, ‘Who is accompanying you?’ Gabriel replied, ‘Muhammad.’ It was asked, ‘Has he been called?’ Gabriel replied in the affirmative. Then it was said, ‘He is welcome. What an excellent visit his is!’ So when I went (over the seventh heaven), there I saw Abraham. Gabriel said (to me), ‘This is your father; pay your greetings to him.’ So I greeted him and he returned the greetings to me and said, ‘You are welcome, O pious son and pious Prophet.’ Then I was made to ascend to Sidrat-ul-Muntaha (i.e. the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary) Behold! Its fruits were like the jars of Hajr (i.e. a place near Medina) and its leaves were as big as the ears of elephants. Gabriel said, ‘This is the Lote Tree of the utmost boundary). Behold! There ran four rivers, two were hidden and two were visible, I asked, ‘What are these two kinds of rivers, O Gabriel?’ He replied,’ As for the hidden rivers, they are two rivers in Paradise and the visible rivers are the Nile and the Euphrates.’ Then Al-Bait-ul-Ma’mur (i.e. the Sacred House) was shown to me and a container full of wine and another full of milk and a third full of honey were brought to me. I took the milk. Gabriel remarked, ‘This is the Islamic religion which you and your followers are following.’ Then the prayers were enjoined on me: They were 50 prayers a day. When I returned, I passed by Moses who asked (me), ‘What have you been ordered to do?’ I replied, ‘I have been ordered to offer 50 prayers a day.’ Moses said, ‘Your followers cannot bear 50 prayers a day, and by Allah, I have tested people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel (in vain). Go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your followers’ burden.’ So I went back, and Allah reduced 10 prayers for me. Then again I came to Moses, but he repeated the same as he had said before. Then again I went back to Allah and He reduced 10 more prayers. When I came back to Moses he said the same, I went back to Allah and He ordered me to observe 10 prayers a day. When I came back to Moses, he repeated the same advice, so I went back to Allah and was ordered to observe five prayers a day. When I came back to Moses, he said, ‘What have you been ordered?’ I replied, ‘I have been ordered to observe five prayers a day.’ He said, ‘Your followers cannot bear five prayers a day, and no doubt, I have got an experience of the people before you, and I have tried my level best with Bani Israel, so go back to your Lord and ask for reduction to lessen your follower’s burden.’ I said, ‘I have requested so much of my Lord that I feel ashamed, but I am satisfied now and surrender to Allah’s order.’ When I left, I heard a voice saying, ‘I have passed My order and have lessened the burden of My worshipers.” (Sahih Bukhari, Vol. 5; Book 58; No. 227).
The majority of commentators take this Night Journey literally but allude that there were other occasions on which a spiritual journey or vision occurred. Spaniard, Miguel Asin, Arabic Professor in the University of Madrid, has shown that this Mi’raj literature had a great influence on the mediaeval literature of Europe, and specially on the great Italian poem, the Divine Comedy (or Drame) of Dante, which towers like a landmark in mediaeval European literature.
Actually, the reference to this great mystic story of the Night of Ascension (Lailatul Mi’raj) of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is a fitting prelude to the journey of the human soul in its spiritual growth in life. The first steps in such growth must be through moral conduct, the reciprocal rights of parents’ children; kindness to our fellow men; courage and firmness in the hour of danger; a sense of personal responsibility; and a sense of God’s presence through prayer and praise.
So, we should seize the golden opportunity of this spiritual event in this sacred month of Rajab to fast, pray and praise Allah for our spiritual growth, individual progress in life; and in the Hereafter, and for the reformation of our society from political instability, socio-economic decay and backwardness.
Scholars in Islam have observed that the observance of at least three days fast in the month of Rajab guarantees reward of worship and good deeds of 70 months.
Such was the saying and deed (Hadith and Sunnah) of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) as he observed fasts in the month and observed special prayers, especially on the spiritual Night of Ascension (Lailatul Mi’raj) on Rajab 25th 26th and 27th.
May Allah guide us aright and answer our prayer and accept our acts of worship. Amen.
[ad_2]
